Should the bible be taken literally, or is it more of a book of moral guidelines?

Question

And how much content is to be taken seriously, how much applies to life today?

Answer 1

Some take it literally, some use it as moral guidelines, some use it only in emergencies others use it as a door stop, some don't even know of it's existence - and it all works.

What works for you?

Answer 2

That is a very complicated question. Some people, in Judaism and Christianity believe the bible should be taken literally. However, modern scholarship emphasizes the historical context in which each book or passage is written and identifies the historical facts underlying each event. This method of reading the bible is called the "critical method" and is consistent with theology and faith, but acknowledges that people wrote the bible, and people have their own take on things. You can google critical method to learn more about it. There are tons of books and bibles that allow you to read the bible with notations indicating what the author's intentions were, what was going in that location at that time, etc.

I'm not Christian or athiest.

A note about thumbing me down. I assume whoever thumbs my answer did so because they don't believe in the critical method. However, I also stated that many people believe it should be taken literally. I can only assume u are thumbing the answer down, then, so that people looking for answers don't learn about any ideas but your own. How is that consistent with an ideology that promotes people finding and developing a relationship with Jesus (if you're Christian)? I seriously question any fundamentalist who is against people learning about all the ideas that are out there. Are you threatened by knowledge? Hello, Jesus' whole ministry began with him asking questions. If you don't support people learning about faiths and ideas that are not your own then you are insecure and unreliable. As well as other things, that I won't get into. I'm just so sick of people thumbing down ideas that are not their own, simply for the sake of self-righteousness and judgment.

Answer 3

Yes, it should be taken literally, because it is entirely true. It has been faithfully transmitted down through the ages, so it is reliable as well. If it were not true, the moral guidelines that spring from its pages would be suspect. Good fruit doesn't grow from a bad tree. May I suggest a book for you to read which will address your question more thoroughly? Its called "Evidence that Demands a Verdict", by Josh McDowell. I know that you will find it informative and eye-opening.

Answer 4

No, Bible cannot be taken literally. Bible is a book of Parables. Many intrepretation are incomplete. Remember "Word is not the thing and the description is not the described".
Only a true Master who has seen the light who has pure heart and broad outlook can really unfold its true meaning all others can only give a distorted perceptions.

Answer 5

Damn.
The bible is today's autobiography turned edited biography. The original should be taken literally and as a book of guidelines, as a suggestion of how to approach and deal with life. A brilliant mind approached life and dealings with that life, and it was written. Some people are good at that. The passing along of good advice should NEVER be ignored, out of hand, it's good advice, even when bad translators get involved.

My answer: My GODS are my own. Learn to discern the good advice from the bad from any written word.

Answer 6

I think the Bible consists of moral guidelines which speaks of events that have literally occured. I think it's content is a moral compass and our interpretation is the arrow directing us to where God wants us to be. I believe it is true and all the events which occured within the book are true- most seem to think it stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

Answer 7

The Bible is a flawed, man-made book, riddled with inconsistencies and contradictions. There surely are some good moral guidelines in it, but a lot of it would not be applicable in 21th century society.

Answer 8

any religious book should not be taken literally, all these books should be used as a moral guideline, which perhaps may make the books a bit thinner!

Answer 9

What's moral about it? you can interpret these stories any which way making the Bible useless as a moral guide...the interpretation is all bit too arbitrary and relative especially for a religion that is supposed to hold the absolute truth.
If you need to decide how much of the Bible applies today then you don't need the Bible. Try thinking for yourself as more and more people do.

Answer 10

Neither. The Bible is a record of some people's quest to discover God. It happens that these people in particular discovered that "the supreme force behind the universe is not a morally neutral force." That is, our actions have both moral and spiritual consequences, and you ought not to separate the two. (Paganism, for example, generally kept moral behavior separate from religious belief.)

As a record of stories and religious and spiritual writings, the Bible is far more relevant than any mere historical text or list of morals. We can analogize stories and writings, interpret them, meditate on them, seek deeper meaning. Try doing that with a history textbook...